Improvement in flexible water-tight couplings for goose-necks



, T, I. MGGOWAN. v Flexible Water-Tight Couplings for Goose-Necks.

No. 222,195. Patented Dec. 2, I879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. THEODORE J. McGO WAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FLEXIBLE WATER-TIGHT COUPLINGS FOR GOOSE-NECKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,195, dated December 2, 1879; application filed K October 13, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitkuown that I, THEODORE J. MOGOWAN. of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Water Tight Flexible Couplings for Goose-Necks; and I do hereby declare the following ;to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

The invention relates to an improved flexible watertight joint or coupling for the spout or goose-neck of railway water-tanks, whereby it is prevented from leaking, and which per mits at the same time free lateral motion of the outer end of the goose-neck, both to the right and left and forward and back, to enable the spout to be readily conducted to the well-hole of the tender, even if it should not be exactly in line with'the tank-pipe.

Figure l is 'a side elevation of the spout or goose-neck, partly-in section, and a portion of the pipe being brokenaway'. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig; 3 is a vertical section of the water-tight joint andr-hinge and swivel. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the adjustable hinge. I

The' upper or stationary pipe, A,'is connected at its upper end with a water-tank by any of the'usual modes. Around its lower end is provided an annular groove, D, to receive the ring-clamps E E. The parts of this clamp are firmly riveted at e, and move easily around the pipe in the groove D. They also project in front of the pipe A a suitable distance forward, and are provided with slots F F, to receive the box N, through which passes the pivot I. These projections of the parts of the clamp E E fit between the ears J J, ex-

tending upward from the spout B,and the pivot I passingthrough these ears and the box N, a hinge is thus formed, on which the spout B may be swung up into a perpendic'u lar position by a chain or rope attached to the staple X. a j The ring-clamp vE E, moving easily in the groove D, the spout B may be swung around laterally to any desired extent, in order to accommodate itself to the positionof the wellliole of the tender. This object has always been attained by means of complicated and cumbersome machinery liable to get out of order.

Myinvention secures this by a simple, cheap, and compact device, strong and durable.

When the spout B wasfull of Water, or when the ends of the two spouts became frozen together, the spout B would swing with some difficulty and the lugs J J might be wrenched off. To provide against this the rear ends of the parts of the clamp E E extend downward, forming the lugs L L, which fit between the ears G G, formed on the rim of the spout B, by which a connection between the pipes A and B is made at the rear side, aswell as the front, thus providing a firm double bearing in swinging the pipe B in a lateral direction and preventing any strain or wrenchin g of the ears J J.

To make the joint water-tight the spout or pipe A, at its lower end, is provided with an annular groove, K, undercut, into which is sprung a gasket or cushiomM, preferably of india-rubber, which, being thicker at the top than at the bottom, or soon becoming so by pressure, is securely fastened in the groove without the use of bolts or rings. Below this groove the lips of the spout A are flanged inwardly to fit into the mouth of the spout B.

The lips of the spout B are made perfectly fiat and plain, and tit snugly against the gasket M. The joint is thus made water-tight, and the smooth fiat lips of the spout B hearing against the cushion M, there is no danger of binding at the joint, and the spout B will swing easily and readily, i thus avoiding a serious difficulty with the joints heretofore in use.

In order to be able to adjust the joint accurately, the slot F F is made sufficiently large to permit the box N to move freely up and down, carrying with it, of course, the; pivot I. The box is adjusted and heldin place by the lock-nuts or screws P P. Shouldthe spout B not fit snugly against the gasket M, or should the gasket become worn on ones'ide, by raising or loweiing the box N inthe slot FF, the lips of the spout B may be adjusted to fit against the gasket perfectly on all sides.

In order to give still more flexibility and extension to the goose-neck,thespoutB isprovided with a pivoted or swingingnozzle, O.

This is done by securing on the spout B, near its lower end,'an annular flange, R, sloping upwardly at rear and front, and a corresponding flange, T, sloping downwardly, secured to the nozzle C. The upper flange on the spout B is provided with journaLboxes to receive the journals S on the lower flange, on which the nozzle 0 swings forward and back. The motion is limited by the lips of the flanges coming in contact either in front or in the rear. The usual mode of arranging them is to make the rear half of the upperflange horizontal, so that the nozzle will hang straight down when the tender is in exact line with the goose-neck, and swing outward when it is out of line. This nozzle may also be used on a stand-pipe.

For convenience the lugs L L and the forward projection of the parts of the clamp E E, containing the slots F F, are formed from the ends of the two parts of the clamp E E. They may also be made solid of a single piece of metal.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut, is-

1. The combination of the ring-clamp E E, the slots F F, ears J J, lugs L L, and ears G G, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the clamp E E, ears J J, and adjustable box N, as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a joint for goosenecks, the adjustable box N, as'and for the purpose described.

4. The nozzle 0, hinged to the lower end of the spout B by pivots S at the sides, as and for the purpose described.

5. The sloping flange R 011 the. nozzle C, in combination with the corresponding flange T, as and for the purpose described.

THEO. J. MCGOWAN.

Witnesses JOHN KELLY, WM. L. WRIGHT, Jr. 

